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3) What tasks will you be performing with the notebook?A) Recording and editing 8-10 tracks of 24bit/88.2khz (sometimes 176khz) live audio simultaneously, then editing & mixing 12-16 tracks in realtime. Notebook must be QUIET and as SILENT as possible
--> I'll be using a RME Multiface & FireFace (www.rme-audio.com), but from my understanding:
too many devices on the same IRQ means the firewire wont work right. the firewire MUST be on its own IRQ with MOST firewire devices to monitor 2 channels with no crackle/pop.
I also need a seperate hard drive (internal or external) dedicated only for audio. B) Mediocre Gaming..Geforce 7900gs sufficient? C) MINOR web coding, CAD, & video editing

4) Will you be taking the notebook with you to different places or leaving it on your desk?Yes, it will accompany me on trips.

5) Will you be playing games on it; if so, which games?Battlefield 1942
Battlefield 2
Need For Speed (the newer series)
Half Life 1 & 2
Counterstrike
Any good combat flight sims

6) Are there any brands that you prefer or any you really don't like?not really, i'm looking for best Bang/Buck for my needs

7) How many hours of battery life do you need?1 hour? It will be plugged into power outlet 99.9% of the time.

8) Do you mind buying online without seeing the notebook in person?No, that is fine.

9) What country are you buying this in?U.S.A

Screen Specifics

10) Would you prefer standard or widescreen?either one is fine.

11) From the choices below, what screen resolutions would you prefer?f. WUXGA - 1920x1200; Wider viewing version of UXGA, good for movie viewing or spreadsheets.

12) Do you want a glossy/reflective screen or a matte/non-glossy screen?Glossy with as minimal reflectiveness as possible

Build Quality and Design

13) Are the notebook's looks and stylishness important to you?NO

14) How long do you want this laptop to last?5+ years

Notebook Components

15) How much hard drive space do you want; 40GB to 120GB?As long as I can use external hard drives to their full 7200rpm potential transfer rates, internal hard drive size or speed doesn't matter.

16) Do you need an optical drive? If yes, a DVD-ROM, DVD-CD/RW or DVD-RW drive?I prefer a DVD-RW drive, yes..but if there is a better notebook deal without one, I can just use an external drive.

I'd go with #2 or #3. If you're one to not need much tech support, then Gateway is a pretty solid notebook maker. However, their drivers and system setup are a bit more annoying, as they use a "recovery partition." HP is much better with real recovery CDs that allow you to be selective with your installation.